Singapore University of Technology & Design, University of Moratuwa, Dialog and The Emplloyers’ Federation of Ceylon ICT Training & Disability Resource Centre developed the Finger Reader device. Vision impaired ICT trainees of The Employerss’ Federation of Ceylon assisted to further develop this app with their valuable inputs for the research. The research was done in April and May 2018 at the EFC.

FingerReader aims to create an assistive device that sustainably change how the visually impaired community can independently access information on the go. Accessing visual information in a mobile context is a major challenge for the blind.

Designed and developed by the Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD), the FingerReader empowers the communities who would otherwise have no access to assistive technology because they were either too expensive or did not fulfill the user expectations.

Engagements with blind people reveal numerous difficulties with existing state-of-the-art technologies including problems with accuracy, mobility, efficiency, cost, and more importantly social exclusion. The design of FingerReader address these challenges as it is a finger-worn accessory that allows users to simply point at products, restaurant menus, signs etc. to perform a recognition and interpretation task on what the FingerReader sees and hear the result spoken to him or her through a headset.

Dialog joined hands with SUTD to deploy FingerReader devices in Sri Lanka to support Sri Lanka’s visually impaired community.

The expert team members are Prof. Suranga Nanayakkara, Mr. Roger Boldu and Mr. Haimo Zhang.

We are all persons with disabilities at some time in our lives. A child, a person with a broken leg, a parent with a pram, pregnant mother, an elderly person, etc. are all disabled in one way or another. Those who remain healthy and able-bodied all their lives are few. As far as the built-up environment is concerned, it is important that it should be barrier-free And adapted to fulfill the needs of all people equally. As a matter of fact, the needs of the persons with disabilities coincide with the needs of the majority, and all

People are at ease with them. As such, planning for the majority implies planning for people with varying abilities and disabilities.

The technical aim of an access audit is to give recommendations to provide a barrier-free Environment for the independence, convenience and safety of all people with disabilities and persons with not yet with a disability. The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialized Training & Disability Resource Centre conducted an access audit to give recommendations to London Stock Exchange Colombo 4 office in June 2018 to make their premises a barrier free environment for persons with disabilities. The audit was conducted by Ms. Manique Gunaratne, Ms. Ayasana Gunasekera and Mr. Santhush Peiris.

People who live with disabilities often face fear, discomfort, and hostility at a rate that far exceeds that encountered by those who do have no disability.

The vast majority of such treatment is rooted in a basic lack of understanding about the challenges that come with having a disability, and the experience

Of sharing the world with people who do not. People often seek to fill in gaps in their knowledge, and when information is lacking, confusion and even

Fear may result.

Anyone wishing to overcome this experience in them will be best served by first recognizing that a disability is a limited phenomenon. A physical

Disability may have a large impact on how an individual interacts with the physical word. A sensory disability may alter the gathering of information.

These are conditions however; in no way prevent the individuals who live with them from having unique personalities, talents, knowledge, humor, and lives.

People who live with disabilities have more in common than not with those who have no disability. We all share the same existence, and the same basic needs.

In other cases, people who are living with a disability

May have feelings about language that is not in keeping with the established guidelines for etiquette. Whatever the reason, the commonly recognized best

Practices of disability-related etiquette may not always be the preferred practices, and it is always most important for the most effective and respectful

Communication.

We are all persons with disabilities at some time in our lives. A child, a person with a broken leg, a parent with a pram, pregnant mother, an elderly person, etc. are all disabled in one way or another. Those who remain healthy and able-bodied all their lives are few. As far as the built-up environment is concerned, it is important that it should be barrier-free And adapted to fulfill the needs of all people equally. As a matter of fact, the needs of the persons with disabilities coincide with the needs of the majority, and all

People are at ease with them. As such, planning for the majority implies planning for people with varying abilities and disabilities.

The technical aim of these programmes are to provide a barrier-free

Environment for the independence, convenience and safety of all people with disabilities and persons with not yet with a disability.

Disability etiquettes and accessibility has been a huge challenge for people with disabilities. This includes customers as well as employees. Therefore, it is important Employers to sensitize your staff on disability etiquettes and on accessibility. Please make sure that at least few staff members are sensitized on above matter to treat your customers with dignity and justice.

Therefore, we are in a position to do the following programmes at your premises to teach disability etiquette, Access audits, reasonable accommodation the right way to handle persons with disabilities and also train them in accessibility measures for the workplace.

Ms. Manique Gunaratne of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre together with Ms. Ayasana Gunasekera, Mr. Santhush Peris and Mr. Chamod Nayanananda recently conducted all above programmes at a leading bank in Sri Lanka in June 2018 to make a disabled friendly environment with dignity and justice for all.

We are all persons with disabilities at some time in our lives. A child, a person with a broken leg, a parent with a pram, pregnant mother, an elderly person, etc. are all disabled in one way or another. Those who remain healthy and able-bodied all their lives are few. As far as the built-up environment is concerned, it is important that it should be barrier-free And adapted to fulfill the needs of all people equally. As a matter of fact, the needs of the persons with disabilities coincide with the needs of the majority, and all

People are at ease with them. As such, planning for the majority implies planning for people with varying abilities and disabilities.

The technical aim of an access audit is to give recommendations to provide a barrier-free Environment for the independence, convenience and safety of all people with disabilities and persons with not yet with a disability. The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialized Training & Disability Resource Centre conducted an access audit to give recommendations to Diesel & Motor Engineering PLC in April 2018 to make their premises a barrier free environment for persons with disabilities. The audit was conducted by Ms. Manique Gunaratne, Ms. Ayasana Gunasekera, Mr. Santhush Peiris and Mr. Chamod Nayanananda.

People who live with disabilities often face fear, discomfort, and hostility at a rate that far exceeds that encountered by those who do have no disability.

The vast majority of such treatment is rooted in a basic lack of understanding about the challenges that come with having a disability, and the experience

Of sharing the world with people who do not. People often seek to fill in gaps in their knowledge, and when information is lacking, confusion and even

Fear may result.

Anyone wishing to overcome this experience in them will be best served by first recognizing that a disability is a limited phenomenon. A physical

Disability may have a large impact on how an individual interacts with the physical word. A sensory disability may alter the gathering of information.

These are conditions however; in no way prevent the individuals who live with them from having unique personalities, talents, knowledge, humor, and lives.

People who live with disabilities have more in common than not with those who have no disability. We all share the same existence, and the same basic needs.

In other cases, people who are living with a disability

May have feelings about language that is not in keeping with the established guidelines for etiquette. Whatever the reason, the commonly recognized best

Practices of disability-related etiquette may not always be the preferred practices, and it is always most important for the most effective and respectful

Communication.

Ms. Manique Gunaratne supported by Ms. Ayasana Gunasekera of The Employers’ Federation of Ceylon, Specialised Training & Disability Resource Centre trained the staff members of London Stock Exchange in “Disability Etiquettes” in June 2018.